SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage
June 10:
“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”
1821: Duke of Marlborough, this British vessel was broken up on this day in Table Bay in the Western Cape. The events that led up to it being broken up are currently unknown.
1855: Nerbudda, this 16-gun wooden British brig disappeared in severe weather after leaving Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape for Simon's Town in the Western Cape. The 133 lives on board were never seen again. A monument honoring those lost can be found in the Seaforth Cemetery in Simon's Town.
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| The HMS Nerbudda (1855) monument in the Garden of Remembrance in the Seaforth cemetery in Simon's Town |
1857: A north-westerly gale in Table Bay in the Western Cape resulted in the wrecking of two wooden British barques:
• Christabel/Christobel, wrecked after its cables parted, and
• William James, wrecked on Woodstock beach.
1883: Comta, this vessel was lost off Cape Point in the Western Cape. Very little is known about it.
1901: James Searle II, this steam-powered tug was scuttled off Cape Recife in the Eastern Cape. The hulk drifted onto the nearby beach and the boiler that is visible at low tide is believed to have come from this wreck.
1902: A south-easterly gale led to the loss of five vessels near East London in the Eastern Cape:
• Atbara, a Norwegian iron barque, wrecked on the rocks below Beach Hotel with eleven lives being lost. Although not much remains of the wreck, its cement cargo barrels have made a small artificial reef.
• Aurora, a Swedish wooden barque, wrecked at the Blind River.
• Elise Linck, a German wooden barque, wrecked at the Blind River.
• Pioneer, a sailing ketch that was blown out to sea and never seen again.
• Pondo, a vessel of which little is known was reportedly lost.
The wreck of the Elise Linck (1902) attracted many onlookers the following day
1912: Bellona, this steel British lighter wrecked after dragging its anchors in Stony Bay in the Western Cape.
1955: David Haigh, this British/South African fishing trawler was scuttled using depth-charges by the Navy in Table Bay in the Western Cape.
The TS McEwan (1977) in Table Bay, date unknown
1976: Gamtoos, this steel transport vessel was scuttled by the South African Air Force with depth charges in Table Bay in the Western Cape.
The Gamtoos (1976), date and location unknown
It had served as a salvage vessel during WWII and was used to transport supplies to the Prince Edward Islands thereafter. It also made guano runs to islands off the West Coast and is estimated to have collected over 3000 tons of guano.
The TS McEwan (1977) being scuttled after 52 years of service
1977: TS McEwan, this South African tug was scuttled after 52 years of service approximately 20 km outside Table Bay in the Western Cape. It was affectionately known as ‘Smokey Sue’ because of the black cloud of smoke emanating from the tug that was often visible to Cape Town.
The Gamtoos (1976), date and location unknown
1983: Hsien Chin 32, this Taiwanese fishing vessel was being towed out to be scuttled when heavy swells claimed it about 40 km west of the Slangkop lighthouse in the Western Cape.
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